Column: For years, she stitched flag-themed afghans for military veterans. And then she realized the one she forgot.

Ceil McCormick tucked her latest homemade afghan into a large plastic bag and secretly hid it in the trunk of her car.

“Oh my, I’m such a loser for not doing this sooner,” she said.

Later that night, she would be giving one of her hand-stitched afghans to someone who never saw the ambush coming, her husband of 53 years, Larry. The U.S. Army veteran served during the Vietnam War in the mid-1960s. He proudly wears an Army veteran cap when he’s out in public.

“I can’t believe I’ve never given my own husband one of my afghans,” Ceil said with a chuckle. “Shame on me.”

Ceil McCormick unfurls her surprise gift to her husband, Larry, at Red Carpet Lounge in Portage, on Monday, March 1. (Jerry Davich / Post-Tribune)

The 72-year-old Hobart woman has been crocheting since she was a teenager. In the 1980s, she began crocheting full-sized afghans from different colors of yarn. She gave them out as gifts to family, friends and co-workers. One Christmas, she gave out 13 afghans, most of them made during her train commute into Chicago, where she worked as a legal secretary.

“I handed them out like I was Santa Claus,” Ceil said with a hearty laugh. “Making afghans for the people I love is a selfish thing on my part. It’s a thrill for me to give them out. I love every minute of it.”

A few years ago she began making afghans for military members and veterans. Her gesture of patriotic gratitude started with a special afghan at a fundraising benefit for a fallen firefighter.

“It was the least I could do,” she said.

Each of these huge afghans is soft and cozy, shaped like an American flag in star-spangled red, white and blue yarn. Each one takes 24 hours to crochet. When her hands get sore, she takes a short break, lowers her arms and lets the blood rush back to her hands. Then it’s back to needling — stitch to stitch, star to star, stripe to stripe.

“It’s always worth it, every one of ‘em,” Ceil said.

Ceil McCormick, 72, gets emotional while looking through her scrapbook with photos of servicemen who’ve received one of her afghans. “Look at them all safe and warm with one of my silly old afghans. God bless them all for serving. It’s my honor to give them one.” (Jerry Davich / Post-Tribune)

Some of these flag afghans get personally delivered. Others get shipped to distant military bases. Each one comes with a handwritten note of gratitude. Ceil refuses to sell accept any money. She doesn’t do it for the finances. She does it for the feelings.

“It gives me the chills,” she told me.

Ceil looked through a scrapbook she keeps, with photos of the servicemen who’ve received one of her afghans. Page after page, memory after memory.

“Look at them all safe and warm with one of my silly old afghans. God bless them all for serving,” she said, getting choked up again by her feelings. “It’s my honor to give them one.”

The McCormicks lived in Illinois during their younger years, most recently in New Lenox. They moved to Northwest Indiana for Larry’s job. When his health began declining in 2013, his wife retired to care for him.

“He’s a blessing to me,” Ceil said. “He hasn’t complained once about his illnesses.”

This fact only made her feel more guilty for never giving one of her American-flag afghans to the veteran living in their home.

“We’ve got afghans coming out of our ears,” she joked. “Through the years I’ve given one to every person I’ve ever known and loved. But I couldn’t give another person one of my afghans until I give one to my own husband!”

Ceil and Larry McCormick, married for 53 years, share a moment at Red Carpet Lounge in Portage, on Monday, March 1. (Jerry Davich / Post-Tribune)

That night, she finally made up for her oversight. On Monday evenings, the couple hangs out with friends at their favorite bar, Red Carpet Lounge in Portage.

Ceil asked Larry to go in the backroom of the bar. A few family members joined them. She grabbed the large bag that she had hidden in their trunk. She unfurled it to her husband. (Watch a video of her surprise on my Facebook pages.)

“This one is actually for you,” she told Larry with a kiss and a hug. “Thank you for your service.”

Larry didn’t know what to say.

“Christmases come and gone, I didn’t get one. I figured I never would,” he joked with a playful shrug.

The couple, who has a grandson is in the Marine Corps, held up the new afghan for everyone to see.

“I’ve been sewing this one right in front of him the whole time,” Ceil joked.

“I never knew,” Larry said.

Bonnie Bacon, a longtime bartender at the lounge, described Ceil as an afghan-making angel.

“This really touches my heart,” Bacon said. “Ceil’s a special person. One of my favorite friends. She deserves this recognition.”

Ceil blushed and got emotional again.

“It’s just an afghan,” she said. “But these military folks are so appreciative when they get one. It makes me cry. And it makes it all worth it, every stitch.”